Liquid discharge apparatus

Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a cartridge including a first liquid chamber and a first flow path; a tank including a second liquid chamber and a third flow path, at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path communicating the first and second liquid chambers when the cartridge is installed in an installation case; and a controller configured to: when the cartridge is installed in the installation case, determine a liquid amount Vs based on an outflow amount Qc of liquid flowed out from the cartridge toward the tank and a discharge liquid amount; determine whether elapsed time reaches standby time after determining that the liquid amount Vs reaches a first threshold value; and when the elapsed time reaches the standby time, perform image recording of next unit recording area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
 an installation case configured to receive a cartridge, the cartridge including:
 a first liquid chamber storing a liquid; 
 a first flow path, one end of the first flow path communicated with the first liquid chamber, the other end of the first flow path communicated with the outside; 
 a second flow path, one end of the second flow path communicated with the first liquid chamber, the other end of the second flow path communicated with the outside; and 
 a cartridge memory; 
 
 a tank including:
 a second liquid chamber; 
 a third flow path, one end of the third flow path communicated with the outside, the other end of the third flow path communicated with the second liquid chamber, at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path configured to communicate with the first liquid chamber of the cartridge is installed in the installation case and the second liquid chamber; 
 a fourth flow path, one end of the fourth flow path being below the other end of the third flow path and communicated with the second liquid chamber; and 
 a fifth flow path, one end of the fifth flow path communicated with the second liquid chamber, the other end of the fifth flow path communicated with the outside; 
 
 a head communicated with the other end of the fourth flow path; 
 a notification device; 
 an interface; and 
 a controller, 
 wherein at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path is configured to cause the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber to communicate with each other in a case where the cartridge is installed in the installation case, and 
 wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether a position of a liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than a reference position; 
 based on determining that the position of the liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than the reference position, control the notification device to perform a first notification; 
 determine whether the cartridge is installed in the installation case; 
 based on determining that the cartridge is installed in the installation case after controlling the notification device to perform the first notification, read out a liquid amount Vc from the cartridge memory via the interface, the liquid amount Vc indicating amount of liquid stored in the first liquid chamber; 
 receive an image recording instruction to form an image by discharging the liquid through the head; 
 determine a liquid amount Vs based on an outflow amount Qc and a discharge liquid amount, the liquid amount Vs indicating amount of liquid stored in the second liquid chamber, the outflow amount Qc indicating amount of the liquid to be flowed out from the first liquid chamber toward the second liquid chamber, the outflow amount Qc being determined based on the read liquid amount Vc, the discharge liquid amount indicating amount of liquid instructed to be discharged through the head performing image recording of unit recording area based on the received image recording instruction; 
 determine whether the liquid amount Vs reaches a first threshold value; 
 wait for a standby time T1 to perform image recording of unit recording area, the standby time T1 starting after it is determined that the liquid amount Vs has not reached the first threshold value and a condition occurs; 
 determine whether the standby time T1 has expired; and 
 based on determining that the standby time T1 has expired, perform image recording of unit recording area. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the standby time T1 corresponds to time for the liquid amount Vs to reach the first threshold value. 
     
     
       3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the standby time T1 based on the liquid amount Vs, the outflow amount Qc and the first threshold value. 
     
     
       4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the outflow amount Qc, based on the read liquid amount Vc, a flow path resistance Rc of the second flow path, a flow path resistance Rs of the fifth flow path and a flow path resistance Rn, the flow path resistance Rn being a resistance of at least one of the first flow path or the third flow path. 
     
     
       5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the condition is that the read liquid amount Vc reaches a second threshold value, and
 wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 determine whether the read liquid amount Vc reaches the second threshold value to determine whether the condition occurs. 
 
     
     
       6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein based on the liquid amount Vs not reaching the first threshold value and the liquid amount Vc not reaching the second threshold value, the controller is configured to control the notification device to perform a second notification. 
     
     
       7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first notification indicates the liquid amount Vc or prompting replacement of the cartridge, and 
 wherein the second notification indicates prompting replacement of the cartridge. 
 
     
     
       8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein based on the liquid amount Vs not reaching the first threshold value and the liquid amount Vc not reaching the second threshold value, the controller is configured to prohibit performing the image recording. 
     
     
       9. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine an amount of the liquid that is instructed to be discharged from the head during the image recording of next unit recording area; and 
 determine the first threshold value based on the determined amount of the liquid. 
 
     
     
       10. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first threshold value is a value at which air is not introduced into the fourth flow path from the second liquid chamber when a maximum liquid amount, which can be discharged from the head during the image recording of unit recording area, is discharged. 
     
     
       11. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine, after performing the image recording of unit recording area, an image recording of next unit recording area is necessary based on the image recording instruction, and 
 determine, based on determining that an image recording of next unit recording area is necessary, whether the liquid amount Vs reaches the first threshold value. 
 
     
     
       12. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the image recording of unit recording area is image recording of one sheet. 
     
     
       13. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid level sensor,
 wherein the controller is further configured to, based on receiving a signal from the liquid level sensor, determine that the position of the liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than the reference position, the signal being output from the liquid level sensor in a case where the position of the liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than the reference position. 
 
     
     
       14. The liquid discharge apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the controller being able to access the cartridge memory via the interface, determine that the cartridge is installed in the installation case. 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 a cartridge including:
 a first liquid chamber storing a liquid; 
 a first flow path, one end of the first flow path communicated with the first liquid chamber, the other end of the first flow path communicated with the outside; 
 a second flow path, one end of the second flow path communicated with the first liquid chamber, the other end of the second flow path communicated with the outside; and 
 a cartridge memory; 
 
 an installation case configured to receive the cartridge; 
 a tank including:
 a second liquid chamber; 
 a third flow path, one end of the third flow path communicated with the outside, the other end of the third flow path communicated with the second liquid chamber, at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path configured to communicate with the first liquid chamber of the cartridge installed in the installation case and the second liquid chamber; 
 a fourth flow path, one end of the fourth flow path being below the other end of the third flow path and communicated with the second liquid chamber; and 
 a fifth flow path, one end of the fifth flow path communicated with the second liquid chamber, the other end of the fifth flow path communicated with the outside; 
 
 a head communicated with the other end of the fourth flow path; 
 a notification device; 
 an interface; and 
 a controller, 
 wherein at least one of the first flow path and the third flow path is configured to cause the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber to communicate with each other in a case where the cartridge is installed in the installation case, and 
 wherein the controller is configured to:
 determine whether a position of a liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than a reference position; 
 based on determining that the position of the liquid level in the second liquid chamber is lower than the reference position, control the notification device to perform a first notification; 
 determine whether the cartridge is installed in the installation case; 
 based on determining that the cartridge is installed in the installation case after controlling the notification device to perform the first notification, read out a liquid amount Vc from the cartridge memory via the interface, the liquid amount Vc indicating amount of liquid stored in the first liquid chamber; 
 receive an image recording instruction to form an image by discharging the liquid through the head; 
 determine a liquid amount Vs based on an outflow amount Qc and a discharge liquid amount, the liquid amount Vs indicating amount of liquid stored in the second liquid chamber, the outflow amount Qc indicating amount of the liquid to be flowed out from the first liquid chamber toward the second liquid chamber, the outflow mount Qc being determined based on the read liquid amount Vc, the discharge liquid amount indicating amount of liquid instructed to be discharged through the head performing image recording of unit recording area based on the received image recording instruction; 
 determine whether the liquid amount Vs reaches a first threshold value; 
 wait for a standby time T1 to perform image recording of unit recording area, the standby time T1 starting after it is determined that the liquid amount Vs has not reached the first threshold value and a condition occurs; 
 determine whether the standby time T1 has expired; 
 based on determining that the the standby time T1 has expired, perform image recording of unit recording area.